


Cloud Watchin'

by ShipperOfTheShips



Series: Short Multi Fandom Works [5]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Cloud Watching, Fluff, M/M, Mild panic, Minor Lori Bashing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-30
Updated: 2015-08-30
Packaged: 2018-04-18 03:56:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4691138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShipperOfTheShips/pseuds/ShipperOfTheShips
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rick and Daryl lay in the yard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cloud Watchin'

Rick finds Daryl sprawled in the grass of their backyard, staring up at the sky.

He leans against the fence post and watches his hunter enjoy the weather, stretched out and sunning himself like a feline.

"You just gonna stand there or come join me?" Daryl grunts, not even glancing in Rick's direction.

Rick chuckles and strides across the lawn to lie next to Daryl in the grass. He lifts his head when Daryl nudges him to allow the hunter to wrap his arm around Rick. Settling against his lover, Rick laces his fingers through Daryl's and brings them to his lips. Daryl hums and tugs Rick closer.

"You been out here long?" Rick asks, pointing out a bird shaped cloud.

Daryl shakes his head, "Nah. Couple hours, maybe." He brings up his hand to cushion his head.

Rick nods and follows Daryl's indication to a cloud in a near perfect circle. The cloud sails across the sky, disappearing behind the treeline. It reminds him of the time he and eight year old Carl were throwing a baseball back and forth and Carl had thrown it a little too hard. Rick had walked around with two black eyes for a week.

He laughs to himself at the memory and notices another cloud in the distance the shape of a hand. He points and watches as the wind sends it away.

They lie in silence, occasionally pointing out interestingly shaped clouds as they pass.

~~~~~

Several hours later, Rick's eyes open to see nothing but stars across the indigo sky staring back at hi. He shoots upright in a panic, startling Daryl awake. "Jesus Christ," he growls as he jumps to his feet. A glance at his wrist tells him it's nearly eleven o'clock. "I am the worst damned parent."

"Rick, what are you doing?" Daryl questions, following the Sheriff across the yard. "Where are you goin'?"

"Carl!" Rick shouts as he unlocks the cruiser, hardly believing that Daryl could have forgotten him too.

"Calm down! Carl's with Lori this weekend."

Rick stops and huffs out a relieved sigh as he too remembers that his son would be staying with his mother. He slams the car door shut and leans heavily on the frame. He'd started to feel like the worst father in the history of fathers for forgetting his son. How could he have forgotten that Carl was to go with Lori today? Even so, how could he have forgotten to at least call him? Tell him goodnight? Lori is never going to let him live this down. She'll always bring it up when he tells Carl that he'll see him later. Any time she sees the opportunity in the foreseeable future.

"I forgot my son," he admits quietly. "How could I forget my son?"

Rick slides down the side of the car until he's sitting on the ground. Daryl kneels in front of him, resting his hands on Rick's knees.

"You didn't forget him," he says. "You just dozed off for a little while. It ain't like you were out galavantin' around while he sat waiting for you to show up. You didn't do it on purpose." Rick nods, knowing that Daryl's right, but still feeling like shit. Like Carl isn't going to understand; like he'll feel like his dad doesn't want him around.

"Hey, look at me," Daryl demands, bending to force eye contact. "I know what you're thinking, and it's shit. Carl knows you love him. Knows you didn't forget him. Knows he has a dad who loves him and a place he can always come to. Rick, you don't do this all the time. You need to give yourself a break."

"I know all that," Rick nods. He looks up to Daryl, "Carl's got two dads here. You count. You love him too." Daryl shakes his head with a laugh.

"Leave it to you to try and make me feel better when you're the one who needs calmed down." Rick laughs, finally relaxing against the police car. He slings an arm around Daryl's neck and pulls him in for a kiss.

"C'mon, officer," Daryl grunts, pulling Rick to his feet. "Bed time."


End file.
